Hydrocarbon burner



Patented .t,

tlbii'i STATES JOHN C. HIGGINS, OF SAN DIEGO, CALFORNIA.

HYDROCARBON BURNER.

Application led August l1, 1924. Serial No. 731,308.

To all 'whom t may concer-a:

.Be it known that l, JOHN C. HIGGINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented a certain new and useful Hydrocarbon Burner, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to hydrocarbon burners, particularly adapted for use in water heaters.

in the conventional coil-type water heaters, as well as in other similar water heaters, great difficulty has been experienced in satisfactorily and efficiently disposing of the condensation of water vapor collecting on the water carrying conductors of the heater and dripping onto the burners or into the base of the heater. This dripping of the condensation of water vapor onto the burners and upon or into other members of the heater cause-s improper combustion of the fuel or functioning of the burner as well as untimely deteriora tion of various other members of the heater,

and also necessitates the disposal of the con densed water vapor and other corrosive liquids formed by the saturation of the condensed water vapor with the fuel gases or gases of combustion, from the bottom of the heater.

The objects of this invention are: first, to provide a hydrocarbon burner means for water or other similar heaters whereby the heat from the burners is uniformly distributed below the elements of the heater to be heated; second, to provide a burner means of this class whereby the co-ndensation of vapor on the liquid carrying conductors is permitted to drip onto heated members positioned over the top of the burners of the heater for vaporizing the condensed vapor; third, to provide a burner means of this class in which the heated condensation vaporizing members positioned over the top of the burners serve as a cap and protection for the burners and prevent the liquid from dripping onto and into the burners; fourth, to provide a burner means of this class which is provided with a receptacle at its middle portion forreceiving excess condensation from the liquid carrying conductors of the heater; fifth, to provide a means of this class whereby the liquid in the condensation receiving receptacle is heated by conduction from the members positioned over the burners; sixth, to provide a burner means of this class in which the heat distributing and condensation vaporizing` members positioned over the burners serve as troughs to conduct liquid discharged thereon into a receptacle from which the liquid is vaporized by conduction; seventh, to provide a hydrocarbon burner unit in which several burners, heat distributing and condensation vaporizing` members positioned above the burners, and a receptacle, are rigidly supported relatively to each other in such a manner that the same may be easily and quickly disassembled from each other; eighth, to provide a burner means of this class in which the several burners are removably mounted on a circular fuel conducting support; ninth, to provide as a whole a no velly constructed hydrocarbon burner means of this class, and tenth, to provide such a means which is particularly simple and economical of construction proportionate to its functions, durable, easy to install, easy to operate, efficient, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

llVith these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction,

combination and arrangement of parts and portions, as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon, which form a part of this application, in which:

Figure l is a sectional elevational view of the bottom end of a water heater, showing my burner means positioned therein, with one of the burners removed and another in section, with the section taken through the middle thereof, also showing certain other members broken away and in section to facilitate the illustration; Fig. 2 is a top view of one of the burners, with the perforated fuel distributing plate partially broken away; Fig. 3 is a top view of one of the heat distributing and condensation vaporizing members, and Fig. e* is an elevational view of the member shown in Fig. 3, with the view taken from the inner side thereof.

Lilre characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the scv-- eral views of the drawings.

rIhe burner fuel conducting support l, fuel supply conductor 2, fuel discharge tips 3, burner members t, perforated burner plates 5, asbestos gaskets 6, burner cap members 7, drip receptacles 8, and the pilot burner 9,

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constitute t-he principal parts and portions of my hydrocarbon burner means.

My burner meanscousists preferably of a plurality of burner members 4 removably positioned and supported on a fuel conducting support 1. The fuel conducting supportL l consists of an annular tube connected with a fuel supply conductor 2 and provided at its lower side with a plurality of downwardly extending lugs la, which. support the member l on and at a spaced distance from the base member B of the heater casing A.. The support l is provided at its upper-side with a plurality of upwardly extending bosses 1l in which are mounted fuel discharge tips 3.

Each of the burner members 4 consists of a tubular body portion 4LL provided at its lower end with a downwardly diverging portion 4b and at its upper end with an arcuate, laterally extending portion 4C. At the lower end of Vand within the outwardly diverging portion 4b is provided a hollow7 boss 4d, which is secured to the vinner walls of the portion 4l by `means of webs 4e. This hollow boss 4d positions the burner member 4 relatively to the fuel conducting support l. rhe portion 4 of the burner Ymember 4 is provided at the upper portion of its inner side with a ledge 4f, which extends completely around said portion and provides a pocket and support for the perforated burner member plate 5, there being provided a gasket G, preferably made of asbestos,

. between the under side near the edge of theL The channel plate 5 and the ledge 4f. formed in the arcuate, laterally extending portion 4C decreases in depth from the tubular body portion 4a outwardly, thus providing efficient means for uniformly distributing the fuel over Ithe whole of the under side of the burner plate 5.

The burner caps 7, adapted to be positioned over each of the burner members 4, are shaped substantially the same in outline as the upper portions of the burner -members, the body portion thereof being spaced from the burner plate 5 and also from the upwardly extending flanges 4g extending around the ledges 4f of the burner member, thus providing means for the gases of combustion to escape. The burner caps are supported in said spaced relation relatively to the burner members by means of legs or lugs 7, which are spaced from each other all around the outer portions of the burner caps 7 and rest ou the burner plate 5 'and are positioned in engagement with the inner sides of the upwardly extending flanges 4g. The inner and outer arcuate sides of the burner caps 7 diverge upwardly from the burner members 4 so that the flame of the fuel from the burner plates 5 is directed against the burner caps and diverted outwardly. The middle portions of the under Vsides of the burner caps 7 are hollowed out so as to reportion of each of the members 7 is provid-v ed with a trough 7b, the bottom of which is inclined downwardly toward the middle of` the burner cap and the outer portions of which are inclined downwardly toward the middle of the heater, as shown best by solid lines in Fig. l of the drawings and by dotted lines in Fig. 4. rit the middle portionof each of the burner caps 7 and on the inner side thereof is provided a spout 7c which is adapted to conduct the condensation of vapor discharged into the trough portion of the burner cap 7 into a receptacle 8 'positioned at the middle of the heater `between the several burner members. Each of the spouts 7C are provided at their inner ends with downwardly extending portions or lugs 7d, which extend into the receptacle 8 and are adapted to heat and evaporate the liquid discharged therein, by conduction from the body portions of the burner caps 7.

It will be noted that under ordinary heating conditions of the heater, the condensation of the vapor on the liquid carrying conductors drips into the troughs of the `burner caps 7 unless the heater is provided with coils smaller in diameter than the small diameter of the burner caps as assembled. under which latter circumstance the condensation will drip into the receptacle 8. Also, when start-ing to heat water in the heater, the condensation collecting on the liquid carrying conductors is usually greater than when the water has been heated for a few minutes; under this latter condition the excessive condensation also is discharged into the receptacle 8.

The receptacle 8 is provided at its middle portion with an opening 8a which is `surrounded by a wall 8b. Through this opening 8a extends the pilot burner 9 which is connected with a fuel supply conductor.

It is obvious from this construction, as illustrated in the drawings and disclosed in the foregoing specification, that there is provided a burner means for water or other similar heaters, as aimed at and set forth in the objects of the invention, and thoughl have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of` parts and portions embodying my invention, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, butdesire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a burner means, a circular fuel conducting support provided with a plurality ot burner positioning members, and a plurality ot separate unit burner members reiovablj,Y mounted on said support over said burner positioning members, the upper portion of said burner members combined forming a substantially continuous circular burner.

2. In a burner means, a burner member provided with a tubular body portion intermediate its ends and a downwardly diverg? ing lower end for admitting air to the burner member, the upper end ot said burner member being provided with an arcuate, laterally extending segmental channel portion, and perforated burner member positioned over said channel portion.

3. ln' a burner means, a burner member provided with a tubular body portion intermediate its ends and a downwardly diverging lower end for admitting air to the burner member, the upper end of said burner member heilig provided with a laterally eX- tending segmental channel portion, a perforated segmental burner plate positioned horizontally over said channel portion, and a segmental burner cap positioned over the upper portion of said burner member with its main portion spaced 'from the side walls of the channel portion or" said burner meniber and from said burner plate.

d. ln a burner means, a burner member provided with a tubular lbody portion intermediate its ends and a downwardly diverging lower end Jfor admitting air to the burner member, the upper end of said burner member being provided with a laterally eX- tending channel portion, a perforated burner plate positioned over said channel portion, and a burner cap positioned over the upper portion of said burner member with its main portion spaced from the side walls of the channel portion of said burner member and from said burner plate, said burner cap being provided at its upper side with a trough adapted to discharge liquid deposited thereon to the side ot the burner member.

ln a burner means, a burner member provided with a tubular body portion intermediate its ends and a downwardly diverging lower end for admitting air to the burner member, the upper end ot said burner member being provided with a laterally extending` channel portion, a perforated burner plate positioned over said channel portion, and a burner cap positioned over the upper portion of said burner member with its main portion spaced from the side walls of the channel portion oit said burner member and :trom said burner plate, said burner cap being provided with a large trough substantially covering its whole upper side and with a discharge spout at the middle portion of its inner side.

6. ln a burner means, a burner member provided with a tubular body portion intermediate its ends and a downwardly diver@ ing lower end for admitting air to the burner member, the upper end of said burner member being provided with a laterally e1;- tending channel portion, a perforated burner plate positioned over said channel portion, a burner cap positioned over the upper portion of said burner member with its main portion spaced from the side walls of the channel portion o'f said burner member and from said burner plate, said burner cap being provided with a large trough substantially covering its whole upper side and with a discharge spout at the middle portion ot its inner side, and a receptacle positioned contiguousl to said burner member adapted to receive the liquid discharged 'from said spout.

7. ln a burner means, a burner member provided with a tubular body portion intermediate its ends and a downwardly diverging lower end for admitting air to the burner member, the upper end of said burner member being provided with a laterally extending channel portion, a perforated burner plate positioned over said channel portion, a burner` cap positioned over the upper portion of said burner member with its main portion spaced from the side walls of the channel portion of said burner member and from said burner plate, said burner cap being provided with a large trough substantially covering its whole upper side and with a discharge spout at the middle portion of its inner side, and a receptacle positioned contiguous to said burner member adapted to receive the liquid discharged from said spout, said spout being provided with a downwardly extending portion adapted to extend into the liquid of said receptacle and heat the same by conduction from said burner member.

8. In aburner means, aplurality of burner members positioned in annular relation with each other, burner caps positioned over the upper ends of said burner members, and a receptacle positioned between said burner members adapted to receive the condensation oit vapor from said burner caps.

9. In a means of the class described, a plurality of burner members positioned in annular relation with each other, burner caps provided with trough portions at their upper sides and with spouts connected with said trough portions extendingtoward the middie of the burner means, and a receptacle positioned between said burners adapted to receive the liquid discharged from said spouts.

10. In a means of the class described, a plurality ot burner members positioned in annular relation with each other, burner caps provided with trough portions at their upper sides and with spouts connected with said trough portions extending toward the middle of the burner means, and a receptarma-316 ele positioned between said burners adapted to receive liquid discharged from said spouts, said burner caps being provided with downwardly extending heat conducting port-ions adapted to extend into said receptacle for heating the liquid therein by conduction from said burner caps.

l1. [n a burner means,a burner member provided with a laterally extending burner portion at its upper end, and a cap provided with a condensation collectingportion at its upper side positioned over theburnerportion of said burner member.

12. ln a burner means, ay burner member provided with a, laterally extending burner portion at its upper end, a cap provided Wit-h a condensa-tion collecting' portion at its upper side positioned over the burner portion ofsaid burner member, `and areceptaole i ositionedeont-iguous to `said burner mem er for receiving the condensation from said cap.

13. In -a burner `means, 1a, burner member provided with a laterally extendingiburner portion at its upper end, a `cap provided with a condensation collecting portion Tat `its upper Iside positioned over the burner por tionofV said-burnermember, a receptacle positioned Contiguous to said burner member for receiving the condensation from said cap, and `a heat eonduotingmeans extending into said receptacle for heating and evaporating the condensation therein.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Diego, `California,this5th day of August-7 1924;.

:JOHN (l. HIGGINS. 

